


beneath the starlight

by flawqueen



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Angst, Butterbeer, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Romance, btw bianca's dead, but don't worry nico and will are all good at the end, here's some angst up your lane, how do you tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-11 03:18:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15306285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flawqueen/pseuds/flawqueen
Summary: Will Solace knows Nico di Angelo.Well, sort of – he knows that Nico is the son of the renowned wizard Hades, he knows that Nico is cousins with the famous Jason Grace and Percy Jackson, he knows that Nico is a pure-blood, he knows that Nico is already skilled in his wandwork, he knows that – okay, fine, Will doesn’t really know Nico di Angelo, because those are all facts that everyone knows.But still, Will likes to think that he knows the young Slytherin.





	beneath the starlight

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys !! i've always resorted to tumblr as my main writing site (flawqueen, if you guys want to go check that out) so this is all kinda new for me but i'm liking it! this is a pretty appreciated one-shot of mine, so hope you enjoy! :)

Bianca di Angelo had died on a beautiful, azure night, under stars so bright that it obscured the moon.

And Nico di Angelo remembers her death as clearly as the sky that night, bluer than his cousin’s eyes.

(Nico hates the irony.)

Bianca had always loved the stars, he knows. He was never sure why, and he never bothered to ask. He figured that there would always be more time to ask his sister about the reason for her fascination.

(There wasn’t enough time.

There is never enough time for anything.

Nico knows that now.)

Come to think of it, Bianca had always been good at Astronomy.

And Nico has gotten over his sister’s death. He has, really.

And yet, on that one fateful day, when William Solace of Hufflepuff hands him a Chocolate Frog Card with an innocent smile, the same rare one that Bianca had given him years ago, his chin quivers and his heart races.

And.

He runs.

* * *

_**first year** _

Will Solace knows Nico di Angelo.

Well, sort of – he knows that Nico is the son of the renowned wizard Hades, he knows that Nico is cousins with the famous Jason Grace and Percy Jackson, he knows that Nico is a pure-blood, he knows that Nico is already skilled in his wandwork, he knows that – okay, fine, Will doesn’t really know Nico di Angelo, because those are all facts that _everyone_ knows.

But still, Will likes to think that he knows the young Slytherin.

And yes, Nico isn’t _really_ a Slytherin yet, but Will is sure that he will be, for his entire family tree was.

Like he knew he would be Hufflepuff.

Waiting for his name to be called by Professor Poseidon to be Sorted is terrifying. He nervously waits for the “S” surnames to come, but then he hears a deep voice rumble, “Di Angelo, Niccolo.”

And he sees Nico di Angelo for the first time.

Nico is absolutely beautiful. His pale skin contrasts well with the black robes he is wearing, and his deep eyes are even darker than his hair.

(A person can drown in eyes like that.) The Sorting Hat barely touches Nico’s head before it yells, “SLYTHERIN!” loud enough to ring Will’s ears, and the long, Slytherin table explodes with triumphant shouts. A tiny, shy-ish grin forms on Nico’s face.

(A warm sensation sprouts in Will’s stomach.)

When he is called up to the Sorting Hat, he confidently wears the ragged piece of attire and hears the Hat say, _Hmm, your father was Apollo. Nice. Hard-working, but smart too. You want to be in Hufflepuff, I see. Are you sure? Ravenclaw would fit you just fine. But, well, if you want_ – HUFFLEPUFF!

The table to Will’s left erupts in cheers, and Will’s siblings Austin and Kayla whoops and claps. Will smiles.

(It feels like home.

But still, when he climbs into his bed that night, instead of thinking about his Hufflepuff future, he falls asleep dreaming about brown eyes speckled with the most beautiful rays of light.)

_**second year** _

On the first day of Will’s second year, one new first year Hufflepuff strangely catches his eye.

She’s pretty, small in size. Her hair is sprinkled with cinnamon, and her chocolate complexion glitters. Her eyes pool with the golden tears of angels.

Will smiles and claps for her, and she looks back and grins. She takes a seat next to him, but not before glancing back at the Slytherin table. The fond look she casts in that direction seems natural.

“Hey,” she says.

“Hey,” Will says. “I’m Will.”

The girl smiles. “I’m Hazel. I –” She is interrupted by another round of cheers from Hufflepuff when another first year comes in, but still manages to put her hands together for the young boy. Then, she sighs, and continues, “Um, sorry. I was just wondering, do you know Nico di Angelo? Of Slytherin? I… just wanted to ask, because he’s my brother.”

The world kind of stops for Will at that point. “Nico di Angelo is your brother? But…”

_You two look so different._

Hazel seems to understand what he’s leaving out, because she says, “Yeah. We’re half-siblings, but… that doesn’t change anything.” And in that moment, when Hazel’s golden eyes flash with a challenge strong enough to give Will a warning, Will realizes that, no matter how sweet she looked, she’s dangerous. Hades’s daughter.

Nico di Angelo’s younger sister.

Will smiles. Something like respect builds up inside of him. “Yeah, I know.”

* * *

Second year Slytherins and Hufflepuffs have a few classes again this year, too. Will sees Nico more often than his first year.

Will begins to socialize more, extend an olive branch. He no longer just sits with Austin and Kayla now; he begins to sit with Hazel and Percy, and another fourth year named Frank Zhang.

They’re… nice. It’s nice.

Seeing Nico is also nice. He always passes by the Hufflepuff table in the Great Hall before leaving to his next class after meals. He always kisses Hazel on her temple while she smiles and whispers, “I love you”; Percy ruffles his hair while he grumbles and slaps his cousin’s hand away, stubbornly hiding his grin; and he and Frank grab forearms, exchanging small greetings.

The best part, the selfish side of Will says, is when he locks eyes with Will, nods curtly, and says, “Solace.”

Will’s heart beats abnormally every time, but he still replies with a steady “Hey, Nico” before the Slytherin is gone.

One day, Hazel nudges him. “You’re totally smitten with my brother,” she whispers, “but hey, it’s cute, so it’s fine.” And when Will gives her a stunned look, she continues, “Oh, don’t worry, I won’t tell.” Pause. “Except Percy and Frank. And Jason. And Annabeth. And –”

“Hazel, stop.”

“…Okay.”

At the end of his second year, after months of sharing looks and stealing glances with Nico in classes, Nico finally stops next to Will during lunch at the Hufflepuff table and says, “Hey, Solace. Which classes are you taking in third year?”

And Will is so shocked to even form a few words, so he stutters, “Um. I don’t. Um. I don’t know?”

And Nico calmly shrugs and says, “Me neither,” and begins to walk away, but not before throwing a “See you in September” behind his shoulder.

And Will feels so, so dumb and utterly stupid that he slams his head down on his table, groaning. And yes, all of his friends are roaring with laughter, but that doesn’t matter right now.

(He lied, though. He knows which classes he’s going to take. His father, Apollo, had insisted that he take Divination – probably because he teaches it, but whatever - so he checks off that class on the long scroll he was given.

But, instead of looking forward to the actual Divination curriculum, he finds himself hoping that Nico had also checked off the class on his own scroll.)

_**third year** _

Nico and Will work together on the tea leaf reading project that Apollo assigns in Divination. When asked about Will’s future, Nico dramatically deadpans, “Um, well, I see a falcon, which means Will’s going to have a great enemy, but if I turn the cup this way, there’s also the sun, which symbolizes great happiness. So, I’m guessing, Will is going to – from my standpoint – be happy about having a formidable foe. Oh! But there’s also the Grim! So, maybe… Will’s going to be happy about his enemy killing him?”

The class erupts in laughter, and even Apollo spares a smile.

Nico smirks at Will.

(They’re friends after that.)

_**fourth year** _

During their fourth year, Will and Nico begin to exchange cups of butterbeer on their Hogsmeade trips.

(Will’s heart flutters when Nico’s hand brushes his.

But every time, Will notices Nico’s fingers lingering longer and longer on his, and his breath becomes steadily unsteadier as it does.)

_**fifth year** _

Will has finally defined the warm feeling that spreads through him whenever he catches sight of Nico, but he’s too afraid to voice it out loud, so he keeps it inside.

Annabeth Chase of Ravenclaw, who also turns out to be Percy’s girlfriend, asks Will one question one day: “Are you in love with Nico?”

And Will still can’t admit it in the open, so he only smiles.

That night, he constantly repeats one phrase over and over in his head.

_I’m in love with Nico. I’m in love with Nico. I’m in love with Nico._

_I’m in love with Nico di Angelo._

_**sixth year** _

You never know, Will realizes, that the most important day of your life will be the most important day of your life.

It is a normal trip to Hogsmeade. It is early June, about two and a half weeks before the school year ends, and as usual, Nico goes off to quickly see his sister in Honeydukes before meeting up with Will in The Three Broomsticks.

While waiting for Nico, Will orders a butterbeer and begins to head down to an empty table when something catches his eye.

Chocolate Frogs.

He distantly remembers Nico saying, _Merlin’s beard, yeah, when I was younger, I was addicted to collecting the Chocolate Frog Cards. My dad’s on those, but I never, ever got Hades on a card before my sister…_ Nico had stopped. _Um, well, yeah, anyway, I loved collecting those. They were my world, I swear._

Will laughs softly, swimming in the memory. Nostalgic, he buys one, just for the fun of it, and opens the package.

And, oh lord.

The card had Hades’s face on it.

Will chuckles at the coincidence, and slips it in his robe.

Barely a minute later, Nico comes in The Three Broomsticks, the light jingling of the bell on the door making Will look up and smile.

Nico smiles back.

(The world halts, and the universe turns.)

When Nico sits down in front of Will, the Hufflepuff cracks a grin and says, in a singy-songy voice, “I got something for you.”

Nico snorts. “Oh yeah? What? A haiku? You know your dad –” Will suddenly brings out the Chocolate Frog Card, and Nico’s breath hitches. His smirk drops.

“Hades looks so funny on this,” Will says, laughing. “See?” He shows Nico the card.

Nico’s lip quivers. His breathing accelerates.

Will stops smiling. “Nico?”

“I – um – I…” Nico abruptly stands up from his chair. “I…” He backs up a few steps, then breaks into a run.

Will is shocked. He shouts, “Nico!”

But the young Slytherin is already gone.

(Will wonders if butterbeer had always been this cold.)

_**seventh year** _

It is now Will’s seventh year. The school year had only begun a month ago, but it feels like so much longer.

Will hasn’t talked to Nico in almost five months, and he shakes with the aches pressing down on his chest.

(He can say it out loud now, though. “I’m in love with Nico,” he tells Hazel one day, but she only gives him a sad look.

“But it’s too late now?” Hazel finishes.

“But it’s too late now,” Will confirms.

His heart shatters just a little more.)

And yet, on one Friday in early October, when Nico sits down next to Will during a Hogsmeade trip, setting down two cups of butterbeer on the table, unwanted joy blooms inside of Will.

Will is too stunned to talk, but he doesn’t need to. Nico talks instead.

“Before I found Hazel, I had another sister. Her name was Bianca. She was… amazing. There’s no other way to describe it. She spread happiness everywhere she went. Everyone loved her. I love her. Loved… her.

"She always loved the stars.” Nico smiles, and it is beautiful, but then he laughs bitterly. The expression doesn’t match his face. “It’s funny. She died looking at them.”

Will stops breathing.

“Bianca… She knew I loved Chocolate Frog Cards. She also knew I could never get our father’s card. She must’ve spent… _galleons_ buying those stupid chocolates.

"She did find Hades’s card, though. After weeks of looking for it, she found it. I remember… she gave me that card on a really, really clear day. She said, ‘I’m going out with Percy and our other friends, so I got you this to keep you company.’ I was so happy. So, so happy and… _stupid_. So stupid, that I was just dancing around with a card in my hand, safe at home, when my dad comes in my room and tells me that my sister’s dead.” Nico’s eyes glitter with tears, but the bitter smile is still on his face.

“I couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t be dead. God. I was an idiot. I _am_ an idiot.” His voice breaks, and he opens his mouth to continue, but Will stops him.

Will’s first kiss is there, in The Three Broomsticks, where everyone could easily see him. And yeah, that doesn’t sound like an ideal, dream-come-true romantic first kiss, but Will can taste the saltiness of Nico’s tears, and he doesn’t care, because _God_ , he was stupid.

When they break apart, Will whispers a soft, “I’m sorry,” against Nico’s lips, and Nico whispers back just as softly, “I love you.”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!! look out for more lol
> 
> (and yes, of course that scene with the tea leaves is a reference to the same tea leaf reading thing that ron and harry did)


End file.
